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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

What are your childcare plans for when you go into labour?

15 replies

Numbthumbs · 12/12/2012 21:42

Im 34+3 and DP doesnt drive, he's taking lessons (at 33) but theres no way he will have passed by the time baby arrives. DD will be 18 months and im panicking about what to do with her!
My mom said she would come here and stay with DD and that we cud get a taxi....does that sound practical to you?
If its the middle of the day they will all be at work, DM works quite close but DF and DP work at least 40mins travel time away.

Is anyone else worried about this or am I being an irrational, worrying pregnant lady?

is it too late to organise a homebirth?

OP posts:

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NoTeaForMe · 13/12/2012 10:06

I'm worrying about this and I'm only 17 weeks! My parents live over 2 hours away. I think we'll have to call them once we know I'm definitely in labour and ask a friend to have my DD until they get here. Obviously they could have time to get here before we need to go into hospital, but on the other hand I could call them too early and it would be a false alarm!

I spend far too long thinking about this!

SeeYouSoon · 13/12/2012 10:16

No idea! My parents are 5 hours away and DH?s 2 hours away. He may well be going to the CM, but that?s fine if it happens in the daytime, but would be reluctant to ring her in the middle of the night?

looneytune · 13/12/2012 10:18

One of the reasons I wanted a home birth last time was so I didn't have to worry about what to do with ds1 when the time came (he was 5 at that time). I loved mine, was in labour from about 3am and when dh and ds1 woke up, I just casually said 'oh, you don't need to go to work or school today'. Ds1 played whilst I was in the birthing pool, I chatted to him and stuff, he was very interested and happy to be home with us for this special event :) If you have researched and decide you want one, I don't think it's too late

looneytune · 13/12/2012 10:21

p.s. I'm hoping for the same this time, but may have the children at school if possible as having 2 and them them fighting lots just means I won't be as relaxed as last time. Oh and what I did do is have my best friend as a birth partner so dh could deal with ds1. Poor thing had to get trains and buses to get to me as doesn't drive

mindalina · 13/12/2012 10:23

I'm hoping for a homebirth (must be worth asking your midwife if it's possible to organise - she can only say no!) and have arranged for my mum to come down and be with my son either in the house or out of it, depending on how everything goes at the time. She is a good hours drive away - and it will be at least two hours travel time if she has to come from work - but I'm not expecting labour to be that quick for me. Did you have a very fast first labour?

I think it's a perfectly reasonable concern! But also one that I'm sure you will be able to resolve easily :)

mycatlikestwiglets · 13/12/2012 10:41

We became quite good friends with a couple who live a couple of houses down from us after they woke us up at 4am to beg us to look after their DC when the lady went into labour! They had parents on the way to take him but didn't think they could wait until they arrived. Our DS was quite little at the time so they knew we'd be competent babysitters .

If you have neighbours/friends with children it might be worth asking if they could step in if you need them?

ChristmasInTheSnowsBest · 13/12/2012 14:23

had this prob with ds. the options we came up with were:

take him with us to hospital then DM collects him from there and takes home.
if labour was gradual DH (learner) would drive with me as (driver) passenger and take ds to DM. do you drive?
neighbour/friend (driver) but no car could sit with dh whilst he drives.

As it turned out i was induced so no worries. hopefully you'll have plenty of time.

nannyl · 13/12/2012 14:28

planning a homebirth (again) so hope to not need any

if i do MIL who lives 5mins away will step in

DeathMetalMum · 13/12/2012 14:50

We live a 10 minute drive from the hospital neither of us drive we will be getting a taxi to the hospital worked fine when we had dd. Allthough we havnt asked yet we will be asking my mum to have dd who will be 2. She is 10min walk away but cycles everywhere so can get here v quick. With bil and sil on standby. We also have various other family in the area that could possibly come quicker if needed if others are out or busy.
Dp also cycles and could possibly get to the hospital before I would if he was working!
Even with all of the different options I am still worrying like mad dd hasnt been left without either me or dp overnight before, well bedtime. She can still be tricky but I just have to keep reminding myself everything will be okay. My mum was a nanny and has 5 of her own children so is probably more capable than me!

nananaps · 13/12/2012 14:58

Booked C section here. 1st ont eh morning list so i am lucky but hoping desperately that there will be no emergencies to push me back.

As long as its within school hours, my DH will be able to be with me for the birth, if not, then i will have to be alone as DH will have to pick ds up and look after him.

I am actually really concerned about it and losing sleep over it.
My family, mum, 2 sisters, auntie and some friends live within 5 minutes of us, but i do not think that any of them would be happy or willing to do anything to help us. They are less than involved, and we are not close.

None of them have asked our due date and i hear nothing from any of them from one month to the next.
We are kinda on our own.

ItsMyLastOne · 13/12/2012 15:31

I'm 41+3 and currently in the middle of a stop-start labour with DC2. DD has been around most of the time (it started yesterday at 10am) but has now gone with MIL to her house. Tbh, this is mostly to get rid of MIL than DD! Hopefully labour will start properly tonight and SIL, who handily lives literally round the corner, will come and stay to look after DD. we're very lucky that we have several willing family members nearby, and also some friends if I was desperate and no one else was around.

I kind of expected a long early labour, as I had this last time, so we just had several different options in mind depending on the time of day things kicked off.

Twinklestarstwinklestars · 13/12/2012 16:32

I'm hoping dp's sister will come here but I had a 20 min labour last time so may not have time for anyone to get here if in the daytime!

Will probably be induced so all planned (hopefully!) or might be a frantic phone all to neighbour!

Badgerwife · 13/12/2012 16:50

My in-laws are an hour away and I suspect we will give them a call at the onset of labour so they can come over to stay with DD who will be 23 months by then. I'm only 11 weeks now but I already can't see an alternative.

themammy73 · 13/12/2012 18:29

Well we actually live in a different country to all our relations so my DM or MIL has kindly agreed to come over the week before the due date to mind my other 3 DCs. I have always been concerned before that the babies would come earlier than one week and we would be stuck but so far it has never happened! If necessary we have some good friends who live close by whom I'm sure I could convince to come out in the middle of the night to help should it be necessary.

redwellybluewelly · 13/12/2012 20:04

I wanted a hb for this reason but not allowed so will try to be first on cs list so DD can go to nursery. If weekend or I go into labour we'll have dm or SIL come over. I need DH with me but aware DD will also potentially be quite confused

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